Jon Kyl, November 7, 2002

Republicans scored an historic victory in Congressional elections last Tuesday, which promises to have a major impact on issues impacting the American people.

Typically Presidents lose seats in Congress in midterm elections. This year, however, that long historic trend was reversed - to the surprise of nearly all the pollsters and pundits. Republicans not only gained seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, they reclaimed control of the United States Senate and performed better than expected in many gubernatorial races.

The result was unquestionably a significant vote of confidence in President Bush, who campaigned tirelessly for candidates across the country. It also sent a message to elected officials in Congress that a majority of the country wants them to move forward constructively on the President's agenda on issues important to the nation.

By giving Republicans a narrow majority in Congress, the American people have bestowed on us their trust. That is something we must take very seriously. It means we must try to work for consensus on important issues, and make a special effort to reach out to Democrats and independents who want to work with us for the good of the nation.

But before the new Senate comes to power in January, the current Senate - which until recently was comprised of 50 Democrats, 49 Republicans, and 1 Independent who voted with the Democrats - returns for a final "lame-duck" session on November 12 to finish the work it was unable to complete prior to the election. That work mainly centers around financing the government's operations for next year. But even in this lame-duck session, Republicans may now claim a majority of members because Senator-elect Jim Talent of Missouri will be immediately sworn as the winner of a special election. With 50 votes in the Senate, and Vice President Cheney's tie-breaking vote, it may be possible to finally pass the President's plan for a new Department of Homeland Security before adjourning until early next year.

In the coming week, I hope to be elected to the Senate leadership as chairman of the Republican Policy Committee. This position will give me a chance to influence the Senate agenda. I also am looking forward to working with three newcomers to the Arizona delegation - Republicans Trent Franks, Rick Renzi, and Democrat Raul Grijalva.

At the top of my list of priorities in the Senate is legislation to ensure a prescription drug benefit for senior citizens as part of reforms designed to keep Medicare solvent, and a "Contract with Investors," - primarily tax relief to help not only American families, but our economy as well.

Working with like-minded Democrats and the White House, I will also work to ensure that the bipartisan tax cuts we approved last year are made permanent. In particular, I have fought to make permanent repeal of the federal death tax, which unfairly punishes family farmers and small-business owners seeking to pass on their life's work to future generations without a massive tax penalty. I also believe it is important for the nation that President Bush's judicial nominees be approved quickly by the Senate; many well-qualified nominees have been in limbo for months due to opposition by certain members of the Democratic Senate majority.

As the incoming chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Technology, Terrorism, and Government Information, I will also work with my colleague, Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), the ranking Democrat, to examine ways to better protect our homeland from terrorist attack. One priority is to speed up implementation of legislation we authored that would enhance our border security and impede terrorists' efforts to enter the country on fraudulent visas.

I am looking forward to a constructive year in the new Congress.

Senator John Kyl represents Arizona in the United States Senate.